Staff Product Designer (Dev Portal)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer (Dev Portal)

Company: Kong

Location: United States, Canada (Remote)

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / Developer Experience Operations

Date Posted: 2026-02-17

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design of complex, developer-facing products within Kong's Dev Portal, focusing on API and AI management solutions.

• Drive end-to-end design processes, from initial concepting and user research to final UI delivery, ensuring exceptional user experiences.

• Champion customer needs and translate them into actionable design improvements, leveraging data and user insights.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product Management and Engineering to align on product strategy and execution.

• Contribute to and leverage Kong's design system, promoting consistency and efficiency across the product suite.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for shaping the developer experience of Kong's platform, directly impacting user adoption and satisfaction for technical audiences. The emphasis on "developer tools SaaS product" and "complex workflows" highlights the need for specialized design expertise in this niche.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design intuitive and powerful user experiences for the Kong Developer Portal, addressing complex technical workflows and user needs.

• Conduct comprehensive user research, including interviews, usability testing, and data analysis, to deeply understand developer personas and their jobs-to-be-done.

• Translate research findings and user feedback into high-fidelity prototypes, wireframes, and pixel-perfect UI designs.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers to define product requirements, scope, and roadmaps, ensuring design feasibility and impact.

• Partner with Engineering teams to ensure accurate implementation of designs, providing clear specifications and ongoing support throughout the development lifecycle.

• Apply systems thinking to identify opportunities for design cohesion and usability improvements across the entire Kong platform.

• Contribute to the evolution and maintenance of Kong's design system, ensuring its scalability and adherence to best practices.

• Proactively communicate design rationale, trade-offs, and customer insights to cross-functional stakeholders to drive alignment and decision-making.

• Mentor and guide junior designers, fostering a culture of design excellence and continuous learning within the team.

• Identify key metrics and instrumentation opportunities to measure the impact of design decisions and inform future iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility of "applying systems thinking" and "improving overall cohesion and usability" suggests a strategic design role that looks beyond individual features to optimize the entire developer journey. This requires a strong understanding of how different product components interact and how to create a unified experience.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong understanding of design principles, human-computer interaction (HCI), and user-centered design methodologies is expected, often gained through formal education or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: A minimum of 6+ years of professional experience in product design, with a significant portion focused on developer-facing SaaS products and complex B2B applications.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Expertise: Proven ability to lead complex design projects from ideation through to final UI, demonstrating mastery of the end-to-end design process.

• User Research: Proficiency in conducting various forms of user research, including qualitative (interviews, usability testing) and quantitative (data analysis, A/B testing) methods.

• Data-Informed Design: Strong capability to leverage metrics, analytics, and experimentation to inform design decisions and measure impact on user behavior and business goals.

• Design Systems: Experience in using, contributing to, and advocating for shared design systems and team processes to ensure consistency and efficiency.

• Communication & Storytelling: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to articulate design rationale, customer insights, and project progress effectively to diverse audiences.

• UI Design: A keen eye for aesthetics and the ability to craft pixel-perfect, high-fidelity user interfaces that are both functional and engaging.

• Systems Thinking: Ability to understand and design for complex interconnected systems, identifying opportunities for holistic improvements.

• Developer Experience (DX) Design: Demonstrated comfort and expertise in designing for technical audiences, understanding complex workflows, and abstract technical concepts.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with API management platforms or AI-related technologies.

• Familiarity with instrumentation and experimentation platforms for SaaS products.

• Experience mentoring junior designers or leading design initiatives.

• Contributions to open-source design projects or communities.

• Proficiency in advanced prototyping tools and techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "making data-informed design decisions" and "positively impacting customers and improving business metrics" in the portfolio requirements indicates a strong preference for designers who can quantitatively demonstrate the value of their work, aligning with revenue operations and GTM objectives.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Design Process: Showcase a minimum of 2-3 complex projects that illustrate your leadership in guiding a collaborative design process from initial problem definition through to successful delivery.

• User Research & Insights: Provide examples of how you've independently conducted user research (interviews, surveys, usability tests) and translated findings into actionable design solutions.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Include case studies demonstrating how you've used metrics, analytics, or experimentation to inform design choices and measure their impact on user behavior and business outcomes.

• Customer & Business Impact: Clearly articulate how your design work has positively impacted customers and measurably improved key business metrics (e.g., conversion rates, task completion, adoption, satisfaction).

• Communication & Storytelling: Demonstrate strong storytelling abilities within your case studies, clearly explaining project context, your role, design challenges, solutions, and outcomes.

• Design System Contribution: Provide examples of how you've utilized or contributed to a shared design system, highlighting your understanding of its importance for consistency and scalability.

• UI Craftsmanship: Showcase your ability to deliver aesthetically pleasing and technically sound final UI designs, demonstrating attention to detail.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates are expected to articulate their design process clearly, emphasizing how they approach problem-solving, user empathy, iterative design, and cross-functional collaboration.

• The portfolio should implicitly or explicitly demonstrate an understanding of agile development cycles and how design integrates within them.

📝 Enhancement Note: The detailed breakdown of portfolio requirements signals a rigorous evaluation process. Applicants should prepare to walk through their projects, detailing their strategic thinking, research methodologies, and the quantifiable results of their design interventions, aligning with operations' focus on measurable outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $138,000 - $215,000 USD per year. This range reflects the seniority of a Staff Product Designer role, considering the required experience, complexity of work, and the high-demand nature of specialized design skills in the tech industry, particularly for developer tools.

Benefits:

• Equity: Stock options or grants, offering ownership and potential for significant financial upside.

• Bonus: Performance-based bonuses, aligning individual and company success.

• Healthcare Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• 401(k) Plan: Retirement savings plan with potential company matching.

• Short And Long Term Disability Benefits: Income protection in case of disability.

• Basic Life And AD&D Insurance: Financial support for beneficiaries in the event of death.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week. While a standard full-time schedule is expected, the remote nature of the role may offer some flexibility in daily scheduling, contingent on team collaboration needs and product delivery requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for a Staff-level Product Designer in the US tech market, especially for a remote role at a well-funded company like Kong. The inclusion of equity and bonus potential points to a performance-driven culture common in high-growth SaaS organizations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: API and AI Management Software. Kong operates in the rapidly evolving cloud-native infrastructure and middleware space, providing critical connectivity solutions for modern applications and AI models. This industry demands continuous innovation and a deep understanding of developer needs.

Company Size: Kong is a growing, well-funded company. While specific employee counts fluctuate, its status as a significant player in its market suggests a size that balances established processes with the agility and impact opportunities of a smaller team.

Founded: Kong was founded to address the growing complexity of managing APIs and microservices. Its history is tied to the rise of cloud computing and distributed systems, positioning it as a leader in enabling scalable and secure digital infrastructure.

Team Structure:

• The design team is likely structured to support product-specific areas or feature sets, with Staff Designers taking on leadership roles for significant initiatives.

• Reporting structure typically involves designers reporting to a Design Lead, Director of Design, or Head of Product, with close collaboration with Product Management and Engineering leads.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Emphasis on using quantitative data (product metrics, user analytics) and qualitative insights (user research) to guide design decisions and validate hypotheses.

• Agile & Iterative Design: Design processes are integrated within agile development cycles, focusing on iterative improvements, rapid prototyping, and continuous feedback loops.

• Systems Thinking & Design Systems: A strong focus on creating cohesive user experiences through the application of systems thinking and the strategic use and contribution to a robust design system.

Company Website: https://konghq.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Kong's focus on "API and AI management" and its position in the "agentic era" indicates a forward-thinking company operating at the intersection of critical technology trends. This environment would attract operations professionals keen on influencing scalable GTM strategies and optimizing complex technical product adoption.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Product Designer. This level signifies a senior individual contributor role, expected to operate with significant autonomy, lead critical projects, influence product strategy, and mentor others. It's a position of considerable responsibility and impact within the product development lifecycle.

Reporting Structure: Typically reports to a Design Manager or Director of Design. However, the Staff level implies close collaboration and influence with Product Management leadership and Engineering VPs/Directors, contributing to strategic decision-making beyond just design execution.

Operations Impact: The Staff Product Designer's work directly impacts the adoption, usability, and retention of Kong's developer portal. A well-designed developer experience is crucial for attracting and retaining developers, which in turn drives platform usage, developer community growth, and ultimately, revenue. Their contributions are key to the GTM success of Kong's products.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for complex technical domains like API management, Kubernetes, cloud-native architectures, or AI/ML platforms.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Transition into formal leadership roles (e.g., Design Lead, Manager) or continue as a principal individual contributor, becoming a recognized expert and thought leader.

• Cross-Functional Strategy: Influence broader product strategy and GTM approaches through deep understanding of developer needs and platform capabilities.

• Industry Influence: Contribute to the design community through speaking engagements, writing, or open-source contributions related to developer experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Staff level designation suggests that candidates will be expected to not only execute but also to strategically guide design efforts and mentor junior team members, aligning with a focus on developing talent and scaling design operations.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This arrangement offers significant flexibility, allowing employees to work from their preferred location within the approved countries (US and Canada).

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, the company operates globally, with engineering and product teams likely distributed across various time zones. The approved remote locations are the United States and Canada, suggesting compliance and support infrastructure are in place for these regions.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Remote teams utilize digital collaboration tools extensively (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Miro, Figma) to replicate in-person interactions, fostering a connected and communicative work atmosphere.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design and collaboration software, including Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, and project management tools. The company likely provides necessary hardware and software licenses.

• Operations Team Interaction: Regular virtual meetings, design critiques, brainstorming sessions, and scheduled sync-ups with Product Managers, Engineers, and fellow designers to ensure alignment and effective teamwork.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time (approximately 40 hours/week). While remote work offers flexibility, candidates should expect to align with core business hours for team collaboration, meetings, and stakeholder engagement, particularly within their respective time zones in the US and Canada.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature of this role necessitates strong self-discipline, proactive communication, and proficiency with remote collaboration tools, which are key operational considerations for both the employee and the hiring organization in managing distributed teams.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and portfolio to assess foundational qualifications and fit.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A deep dive into your portfolio, likely involving a presentation of 1-2 case studies. You'll be asked to articulate your process, rationale, research, and the impact of your work. A practical design exercise or take-home challenge may also be part of this stage.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineering Leads to evaluate collaboration skills, technical understanding, and ability to integrate design into the development workflow.

• Staff/Leadership Interview: A conversation with senior design or product leadership to assess strategic thinking, mentorship capabilities, and alignment with company values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the process you followed, your key decisions and rationale, the solutions you designed, and the measurable outcomes achieved. Use visuals effectively to support your story.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify the impact of your designs whenever possible. Use metrics related to user engagement, task completion, conversion, satisfaction, or business goals. If exact numbers aren't available, explain the proxy metrics or qualitative evidence you used.

• Showcase Your Process: Demonstrate your thinking beyond just the final UI. Include sketches, wireframes, user flows, research findings, and iterations to show how you arrived at your solutions.

• Tailor to Kong: Emphasize projects that showcase experience with developer tools, complex B2B SaaS environments, or similar technical products. Highlight your understanding of API concepts or AI if applicable.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with Kong's products, the API management landscape, and common developer portal functionalities.

• Practice Articulation: Rehearse explaining your design process and case studies concisely and persuasively. Be prepared to answer "why" behind your decisions.

• Think Strategically: For any hypothetical challenges, consider user needs, business goals, technical constraints, and scalability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio review and design challenges indicates that Kong places high value on practical design skills and the ability to demonstrate tangible results. Candidates should prepare to articulate their operational approach to design, focusing on efficiency, collaboration, and measurable outcomes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, industry standard for collaboration), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace, Miro, Confluence.

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar tools used by engineering and product teams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Tools for user behavior analysis (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Pendo)

• Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Looker - though less direct for designers, understanding data is key)

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managed by designers, an understanding of CRM (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation tools is beneficial for comprehending the broader customer journey and GTM strategies.

• Familiarity with how product data flows through these systems can inform design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with Figma is almost a given for a modern design role, especially in a collaborative, remote setting. The ability to work with analytics and experimentation tools is crucial for demonstrating data-informed design, a key requirement for this role and relevant to operations' performance measurement focus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of developers and organizations using Kong's platform.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and information is shared openly to drive collective success.

• Ownership & Accountability: Encouraging individuals to take initiative, drive projects forward, and be responsible for their outcomes.

• Excellence & Continuous Improvement: Striving for high-quality work, embracing iterative design, and actively seeking ways to enhance processes and product experiences.

• Innovation: Encouraging creative problem-solving and forward-thinking approaches, especially in the rapidly evolving fields of API and AI management.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Design is seen as an integral part of the product development process, working hand-in-hand with Product Management and Engineering from conception to launch.

• Feedback-Driven: A culture that values constructive feedback exchange, both within the design team and with cross-functional partners, to refine designs and improve processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, learnings, and insights across teams to elevate the collective understanding and capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: Kong's stated values emphasize a high-performance, collaborative culture. Operations professionals seeking to join such an environment will find that a focus on data-driven decision-making, process optimization, and measurable impact aligns well with these cultural tenets.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complexity: Effectively simplifying highly technical concepts and complex workflows for a diverse range of developer skill levels.

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Navigating competing priorities and perspectives from Product, Engineering, Sales, and Customers to arrive at optimal design solutions.

• Remote Collaboration at Scale: Maintaining strong team cohesion, design consistency, and efficient workflows within a distributed, global team.

• Rapidly Evolving Landscape: Keeping pace with the fast-moving trends in API management, cloud-native technologies, and AI, and translating these into user-friendly experiences.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Technical Domain Expertise: Gaining in-depth knowledge of API gateways, service meshes, microservices, Kubernetes, and AI/ML infrastructure through practical design work.

• Strategic Product Influence: Opportunities to shape product strategy and roadmap through deep customer understanding and design leadership.

• Mentorship & Leadership Development: Formal and informal opportunities to mentor junior designers and potentially lead design initiatives or teams.

• Industry Exposure: Engaging with the broader developer community and staying abreast of cutting-edge technologies and design trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior product roles in technical SaaS companies. Embracing these challenges and leveraging the associated growth opportunities will be key for a Staff Designer's success and development within Kong's operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a highly technical audience with complex workflows. What was your process, and what were the outcomes?" (Focus on your research, problem-solving approach, and quantifiable results.)

• "How do you balance user needs with business objectives and technical constraints when designing a new feature or product?" (Highlight your ability to negotiate, prioritize, and find pragmatic solutions.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Kong and our mission in API and AI management?" (Research Kong's products, market position, and recent news.)

• "How do you approach mentoring junior designers or sharing your expertise with a team?" (Provide specific examples of how you've helped others grow.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Craft a Compelling Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem statement, your specific role and contributions, the user research and data that informed your decisions, your design process (including iterations and challenges), and the measurable impact of your solutions.

• Focus on Impact and Metrics: Quantify outcomes whenever possible. If exact metrics aren't available, discuss qualitative feedback, observed user behavior changes, or proxy metrics that demonstrate success.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your decision-making process, alternative solutions considered, and how you would handle hypothetical scenarios or further iterations.

• Showcase Your Systems Thinking: Explicitly discuss how your designs fit into the broader product ecosystem and how they leverage or contribute to the design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skills, but also strategic thinking, operational efficiency in the design process, and the ability to collaborate effectively within a GTM framework that values data and measurable outcomes.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects most relevant to developer portals, complex SaaS products, and data-informed decision-making. Ensure it clearly demonstrates your end-to-end design process and quantifiable impact.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to prominently feature keywords from the job description (e.g., "Developer Experience," "Design System," "User Research," "Data-Informed Design," "API Management," "SaaS," "B2B"). Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your case studies, design philosophy, and approach to collaboration. Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've driven product improvements and influenced stakeholders.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Kong's products, mission, and target audience. Understand their competitive landscape and recent developments in API and AI management.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

---